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For we did not follow cleverly devised tales
when we made known to you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

2 Peter 1:16

This verse encouraged me in two ways today.

First, I am encouraged to be teaching children's lessons this summer that present the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, after studying this verse, I understand that Peter's main thought (grammatically the main independent clause) in the sentence is "We made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is not a subordinated clause as it appears in English. I will rephrase the sentence to emphasize the main clause and show the two dependent clauses.

We made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus,
not having followed cleverly devised tales,
but having become eyewitnesses of His majesty.

It is as vital for us to announce the coming of the Lord Jesus as it is to present the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The importance of keeping the coming of the Lord Jesus before our eyes is magnified as the day approaches and antagonists both without and within the church are multiplied. It is not just the unsaved who say, "Where is the promise of His coming?"

The coming of the Lord Jesus as a King in His Kingdom motivated the thief on the cross to be saved. The coming of the Lord Jesus was my own motivation to believe. For the apostle Paul, Christ's coming is in the same breath with the gospel: "...you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come (1Th 1:9-10)."

Keep the coming of the Lord Jesus before your eyes. Be motivated to live this day as if He may appear at any moment. This hope keeps us keeping on! Maranatha!